Snuffles' Day Out
by Ametrine
Summary: Ummm..... Padfoot gets in trouble and wiggles his way out with some help from a pair of Hogwarts students.
1. Surprise!

Snuffles' Day Out  
  
**La-ti-dah---obligatory a/n!! Okays, all characters, places, names, etc,   
herein are JK Rowlings, are not used for profit, la-ti-dah and so on :)   
ON WITH THE FIC!**  
  
((A/N: This fic really sucks so if you flame, i'm going to laugh!!))  
  
  
Sirius watched as a slim, red-headed girl strolled down the pathway, oblivious  
to any danger she may be in. Humming as she went, the girl (who, on closer  
inspection, looked 13 or so) picked random flowers until she had an elegant  
bouquet in her hands.   
  
Then she looked up and saw the bear-sized dog watching her. Smiling, the girl  
held out her hand and called, "Here puppy! I won't hurt you, come here."  
  
She got a bit closer, and eventually just came right up and patted Sirius on  
the head. "Don't worry, Mr. Black. I won't say anything. Wonder if Mum would  
mind having a pet?"  
  
Shocked to the core, Sirius changed into human form with a "pop!" but was unable  
to say anything. His mouth opened and closed a few times, then he gave up and  
just shook his head at the girl.  
  
She smiled again, and held out her hand. "I'm Ginny."  
  
"Oh. I'm Sirius." He was painfully emaciated, and looked like he hadn't eaten in  
months. Felt like it, too.  
  
"Would you mind living as a household pet for a while? I'm almost sure I could  
get Mum or at least my brothers to take you in." She continued, hesitantly.  
  
But it was Sirius' turn to hesitate. "I don't know, Ginny... Is that really a   
good idea?"  
  
Ginny shrugged. "Why not? Nobody will recognize you."  
  
Sirius snorted. "You did!"  
  
"You're not the only unregistered Animagus around here. Animagi can usually recognize  
one another, especially when they're in animal form." Ginny sounded like she was   
halfway between condescending and terrified. An odd combination.  
  
"Oh. Well, um..."  
  
Ginny laughed, a sweet and musical sound. "Come on, Snuffles, I'll take you to Mum  
so long as you promise to be tame."  
  
Sirius gave up and ended up following Ginny back into a village. She talked to him   
occasionally, things like, "Mum will love you, Snuffles, but I hope Ron doesn't  
try to rename you like he did Pigwidgeon."  
  
No way. This isn't Ginny Weasley. I can't impose on them, especially not as a huge  
brute of a dog. And how could she have known I was Snuffles? Harry must have told   
her. Ron will recognize me, then, too...  
  
But before Sirius could split off and run for it, Ginny had him by the fur at the base  
of his neck, and dragged him into the house. "MUM!" she hollered.  
  
Ron and Harry, followed by the infamous Weasley Twins, came thundering down the stairs.  
"Sweet! A dog!" They all chorused.  
  
Harry and Ron exchanged glances as Mrs. Weasley came bustling into the kitchen, arms full  
of clean towels. "What's this, Ginny? A furball or a dog?" she smiled kindly.  
  
"Can we keep him, Mum?" Ginny pleaded, handing her the bouquet of flowers.  
  
Mrs. Weasley sighed. "I suppose so, why not."  
  
The kids cheered, Harry and Ron the loudest.  
  
"BUT," Mrs. W. continued, "he needs a bath! And I'm not doing it!"  
  
The twins' faces lit up immediately. "We'll give him a bath!" One of them offered.  
  
Ginny's eyes narrowed, but she made no move to stop them. Harry and Ron tried to  
look sympathetic, but succeeded only in chortling as one of the twins (who were   
actually rather strong) heaved Sirius/Snuffles into his arms and staggered outside  
with him.  
  
The other twin pulled out a hose, and proceeded to fill a little kiddie pool full of water.  
"I think we should soap him up in the pond, then rinse him in here, eh George?"  
  
The red-head carrying Snuffles nodded, and set him on the ground as smoothly as possible.  
Then he picked up a large stick. Oh no, here we go... And I'll have to chase it, too...  
  
So Sirius chased the stick, and ended up being duped into chasing it into the pond.  
**Finally**, after an eternity of soapy eyes and dunkings, he was deemed as "clean".  
The twins dragged him into the kiddie pool full of ice-cold water, rinsed him, and  
then had a disagreement on how to dry him off. I'll solve this one.  
  
Snuffles shimmied until he was as dry as he could get himself, and the twins were  
as wet as he could get them. They laughed hysterically, and by the time they all  
got in the house and dried off, it was supper time.  
  
Supper at the Weasley house was a family affair, and by the time every Weasley was  
ready and present, it was almost 7 o'clock. They all cheered for Snuffles when he  
caught pieces of bread in his mouth, and congratulated Ginny on finding such a  
nice dog.  
  
Dessert, however, didn't go nearly as well. Snuffles laid down in the living room,   
and went back into the kitchen when Harry called him. But on his way past the stair-  
case, something *cold* and *wet* and *slimy* landed on his back, making him yelp  
and run, knocking poor Ron over. Sirius found himself outside, back in the pond,   
while Harry and Ron rinsed the ice cream out of his fur.   
  
They talked to each other and Sirius, not really expecting answers from him. "So  
what on earth were you doing at Ottery St. Catchpole, Snuffles? Jeez, I can feel  
your ribs!"  
  
Ginny came out after a while, and sat on the banks watching the boys splash each  
other while she giggled at them. After ten minutes or so, she leaned over and  
whispered, "Mr. Black! I need to talk to you!"  
  
Harry and Ron both heard, naturally, and dragged him out of the water, dripping wet   
themselves.   
  
"I'll go back and make sure no one comes out here," Ron volunteered, as he squelched  
back towards the Burrow.  
  
Sirius made his way back into human form, and laughed when he had a good look at Harry.  
The new silver-frame glasses, his height (which rivaled Ron's), and his hair (long and  
in a ponytail) made Harry a totally different person. "Goodness, Harry! Got tired  
of being told you looked like James?"  
  
Ginny tittered, and Harry grinned. "Not really, just got too lazy to cut my hair, and  
my glasses got broken one too many times. What *are* you doing here, Sirius?"  
  
Sirius sighed. "Trying to hide, but it's hard when there's literally no food around."  
  
Ginny nodded. "I noticed, that's why I dragged you here." She paused, then added, "And  
so you could see Harry," as an afterthought.  
  
Harry nodded his thanks, but cut to the chase. "Hiding from who? Voldemort?"  
  
Sirius, too, nodded. "Who else?"  
  
Harry turned to Ginny. "There's tons of black strays out around here, how did you know  
this was Sirius?" he questioned.  
  
Ginny smiled nervously. "Oh, that." She stood up, and, without warning, wasn't Ginny  
anymore. In her place stood a small, well-muscled, and extremely mischevous-looking fox.   
  
Harry gaped, and Sirius smiled. "An Animagus can usually recognize another, Harry."  
  
Ginny changed back, and grinned at Harry. "Can't take a bit of a shock?"  
  
Harry shook his head while Sirius laughed uproariously.  
  
"Ginny!" A new voice sounded shocked.  
  
"Ron!" She mocked him. "Now really, you didn't think you knew *everything* about  
your little sister, did you?"  
  
Ron stepped closer to the group. "No... but I came out to get you all, Hermione's here."  
  
Sirius changed *back* into dog form, and Harry, Ginny, and Ron all trooped back to   
the Burrow once again. When they got there, the place was well lit and incredibly noisy.  
  
"What's all this?" Harry asked no one in particular.  
  
((a/n: hahahaha!! okay, so i enjoy being evil. All i ask is *one* teensy positive review   
before i post the next chapter. ONE! someone, anyone, please? YAYE! you love me! okays,   
then, thanks!!))   



	2. Prelude

~~Snuffles' Day *In*~~  
  
((A/N -- Someone told me in a review that Ginny should have been a fox, and so be it except   
that I'm way too lazy to go back, retype it, and repost it, so just pretend or whatever. =) ))  
  
"Harry, Ron! Ginny!" Hermione called from the front step, grinning wildly.   
  
"Hermione!" Ron yelled back, as he ran for the steps.  
  
Ginny just shook her head. "He's been waiting since the minute we left Platform 9¾ to   
see her again," she told Harry. "Hermione this, Hermione that... Is that what his letters had   
been like?"  
  
Harry laughed. "Pretty well. He asked about a million times if I knew when she was going   
to be here."  
  
Sirius/Snuffles barked at the house. Harry and Ginny looked up to see Mrs. Weasley standing   
in the doorway, beckoning them in already.  
  
Inside there was utter chaos. People everywhere, cloaks swishing, hats flying, and the WWN   
playing so loudly that only the twins could have turned it on.  
  
"Harry!" a voice called, and from the crowd came a tiny woman, not even five feet tall, with   
*long* black hair and oval-shaped (purple) glasses.  
  
He smiled politely and greeted her. "Hello,"  
  
She paused, and smiled. "My mistake. I should have introduced myself." She bowed,  
something Harry had never seen a woman do before. "Rosemary Potter." And held out her hand.  
  
Harry shook it, wondering who in fiery blazes she was, and why he had never heard of her   
before, but he smiled anyways. From behind him there came an odd sound, like something  
coughing...  
  
Harry's jaw dropped. Sirius/Snuffles was standing there, staring at the woman with what   
*looked* like a grin on his canine face. Rosemary looked down at the dog, and she gasped.   
"Padfoot?" She whispered.  
  
Before Harry or Sirius could do anything, Ginny popped in. "Snuffles, Harry, Rosemary, we   
need to get out of here so we can talk. Meet you by the pond at ten." And she disappeared,   
leaving them half an hour to get over the shock.   
  
Harry looked up, but Rosemary was gone and Snuffles was panting and sniffing random   
people, many commenting on how sweet and big the dog was.  
  
"Ron!" He hollered, hoping to catch a glimpse of the tall boy through the crowd.  
  
"Harry!" Ron shouted, barely heard above the dull roar. Harry laughed when Ron showed   
up right in front of him.  
  
"Let's get outside," Harry suggested, and they made a break for the door.  
  
"I didn't think it was possible to fit so many people in my house," Ron commented, looking   
slightly dazed.  
  
"What are they all doing here?" Harry asked. "What happened?"  
  
Ron laughed. "Harry!! It's your birthday tomorrow! It's your party!"  
  
Struck speechless, Harry just gaped at Ron. "Huh?"  
  
Ron, looking highly amused, shook his head. "Let me go get someone who can explain it better.   
Stay here," He told Harry, and the smaller boy nodded.  
  
Ron disappeared into the house, and Harry sat on the ground trying to absorb this new   
revelation.  
A party. For me. Why? Oh my god...  
  
Just then Ron reappeared with Ginny and, oddly enough, Remus Lupin, all grinning broadly.  
  
"Now I'm in trouble," Harry commented quietly.  
  
"Not in trouble at all," Remus corrected him, brushing sandy-brown hair out of his eyes.  
"Just the opposite."  
  
"Harry, since you told me that you've never had a birthday party, I asked Mum if we   
could have a *small* get-together for you, but one thing led to another and now the   
house is packed." Ginny explained. "And they're all waiting for you to either open   
your presents or take the first piece of cake so they can have some, too."  
  
Harry gaped at her, too. "What?"  
  
She shook her head, and turned to Ron. "This is going to have to be a little bit more clear."   
She turned back to Harry. "Let's go. We'll show you what a *real* birthday party looks like."  



End file.
